Amazon unveils MatchBook; service isn't money saver for e-book buyers

Amazon.com on Tuesday announced Kindle MatchBook, a service that gives customers a chance to get an e-book version of any book they have purchased from Amazon since the company launched in 1995.

Amazon.com on Tuesday announced Kindle MatchBook, a service that gives customers a chance to get an e-book version of any book they have purchased from Amazon since the company launched in 1995. (David McNew / Getty Images)

Now when you buy a print book from Amazon, you might be able to get a cheap e-book version of the same title.

The Seattle online retailer Tuesday announced Kindle MatchBook, a service that enables customers to get an e-book version of any book they have purchased from Amazon since the company launched in 1995.

With MatchBook, customers will be able to buy the e-book version for $2.99, $1.99, 99 cents or for free. For now, MatchBook will work with only about 10,000 books sold on Amazon.

MatchBook may be a good option for readers who use e-books but also like having a physical version of the books they read on their shelves. But for customers who simply want to save money, buying e-books individually is still a better choice.

The biggest reason is because e-books sold on Amazon.com are already pretty cheap.

Fourteen of its 25 top-selling titles cost less than $5 and 22 of them cost less than $10.

Additionally, Amazon's website also has a section of monthly e-book deals that offer titles for $3.99 or less -- at most $1 more than what you would pay using MatchBook to buy an e-book.

MatchBook is set to launch in October, and it may prove to be popular with nostalgic readers who like having print copies around. But value seekers should probably steer clear.